Chapter 4

 

Ravena's POV

That evening, I changed into my night clothes, the kind that wouldn’t snag if I had to fight. My inner wolf, Lisa, was restless and impatient. She had not spoken all evening, but now her voice came like a low growl in my thoughts.

“Are you seriously dressing like that to see the king? You look like you are going to war.”

“Maybe I am going to war.”

Upon arriving at the Solstice Crown Pack, I headed straight to the throne room. When I got close to the door, two guards immediately blocked my path, crossing their spears in front of me.

“I need an audience with the king,” I announced calmly. “It is important.”

One of the guards shook his head without hesitation. “The king has already given orders not to grant you an audience, Lady Ravena.”

“What?”

“You are not to be allowed in.”

“Then I’ll wait inside until he changes his mind.”

“You will not,” he replied. His tone was polite, but his grip on the spear tightened.

“Step aside.”

“Do not make this hard,” the shorter guard warned. “This is the king's order.”

I acted impulsively and charged ahead. But the shorter guard quickly pushed me hard enough that my back slammed against the wall. Despite the sharp pain in my shoulder, I grabbed his wrist before he could pull away, twisting until his spear fell to the ground with a loud clang.

“Let him go!” the tall guard barked.

From down the hallway, a third voice shouted. “Rebellion. She is defying the king’s orders.”

“Rebellion? For asking to speak to my king?”

“Let him go,” the tall one ordered.

“Open the door. One minute, that’s all I need.”

“The king said no.”

“Then he can say it to my face.”

Just then, a deep voice broke through the noise. “What is going on here?”

The entire hallway went still, and even my wolf stopped pacing. I released the guard’s wrist and turned towards the sound.

It was Evander Darius, the God of War.

The guards straightened at once, their heads bowed.

“General,” the tall guard said quickly. “We apologize, but Lady Ravena tried to force her way into the king’s chambers against his orders.”

Evander’s gaze found me, sliding over my face like he was mapping every detail. Cold prickled along my spine, but I didn’t look away.

The last time I had seen him, I was barely more than a girl. Even then, he had a commanding presence that drew attention without saying a word. More than ten years had passed, but he still radiated the same overwhelming power.

“Is that true, Lady Ravena?”

“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “And I would do it again.”

The tall guard looked at me like I had lost my mind. “She attacked us, my lord. She grabbed…”

“I touched him because he pushed me first,” I snapped. “I came to see the king. I will not be turned away like some stranger at the gates.”

“You ignored a royal order.”

“I ignored an insult,” I corrected him. “The king knows me. He would hear me if you let me through.”

“Do you think the king’s orders are made to be bent for you?”

His words were sharp, but I did not back down. “I think the king should hear the truth before others twist it.”

The tall guard spoke again, this time with more hesitation. “My lord, she refused to step back when commanded. It is not my place to question her rank, but the king was clear.”

Evander turned his head slightly towards them. “Clear to you, maybe. Not to me.”

“But my…’’

“Enough!” he interrupted, turning back to me. “Lady Ravena, you came here dressed for a fight and you picked one. How do you expect me to believe that you did nothing wrong?”

“I am not asking you to believe anything. I just want you to step aside.”

Evander studied me for another long moment. “Why do you need to see the king so badly?”

“I have something important to tell him. It cannot wait. It is mine to say, not yours to stop.”

His gaze remained fixed as he turned slightly towards the guards. "Open the doors. Let her through.”

The taller one stepped forward, blocking my path again. “My lord, the king gave a clear order.”

“I said open the doors.”

They still hesitated. I saw fear and duty war on their faces. I also saw pride. They were ready to take the blame if they blocked me. It almost made me respect them.

Evander took a sudden step closer, his face hard. “Do not make me repeat myself again. Let her through.”

This time they obeyed. Spears were raised and the iron bolts were drawn back with a dull scrape. The heavy doors slowly swung open and I walked in gracefully with Evander closely behind me.

Inside, the light was warm and golden. A map table stood near the windows, covered in markers and lines. Tall shelves lined the walls. Fire crackled in the grate, and the scent of cedar and old paper wrapped around me.

King Alaric Darius was by the windows with a cup in his hand. He turned as the doors closed, and when his eyes landed on me, he did not look angry. His expression softened, just a little, the way a father might soften when he sees an old photo of a child who has grown.

“Ravena,” he called out, and my name sounded like a memory.

I bowed. “Your Majesty.”

He gestured towards a chair, but I remained standing. Placing his cup on the table, he stepped closer, studying my face as if counting years.

“You used to chase my hounds through the orchards,” he said, a slight smile forming on his lips. “You always stole the red apples and left the green ones. You hated the sour ones.”

I felt a lump in my throat. “You let me hide in the saddle house when I accidentally broke my mother’s vase. You told her a stray cat did it.”

He laughed warmly. “You were quite a handful with those braids and scraped knees. Your father would glare at me when I looked the other way. He said I spoiled you.”

“He spoiled me. He taught me to ride before dawn. He taught me to stand up straight, even when the wind tried to knock me down.”

The king’s eyes turned distant. He placed his hand on the map table, fingers spread out on the edges like he needed to hold the world still. “Your father was a tough man. A good man. He always gave me the truth when I wanted comfort. I miss him.”

I took a painful breath. The silence in the room changed. The past faded away like water, and the present returned, cold and sharp.

The king exhaled and looked at me again. “I know why you are here, but I gave an order. It has already gone out. I cannot pull it back.”

I shook my head. “I am not here to ask you to take it back.”

He frowned. “Then why are you here?”

“I want your permission to divorce Lucien.”

The king’s mouth dropped open, then closed. Shock flashed across his face, clear and clean, before he mastered it.

“You want a divorce?” he repeated, as if tasting the words.

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Ravena,” he said slowly, “your pack no longer exists. The Moonveil lands were dissolved after the war. The name is gone. If you divorce, where will you go? Who will claim you? You will have no home, no rights within any territory. You will be on your own.”

 “I know.”

“Then why ask for a fate like that?”

“Because my king, I am the daughter of a general. I cannot live with a husband who breaks vows and mocks the bond. I cannot share a bed with a man who brings another woman into my home, then calls it honour. I would rather have the cold and my name than enjoy comfort and live a falsehood.”

The king’s jaw tightened as he looked at Evander, then back at me. “You are not weak, I can see that. But strength alone cannot put food on the table. Pride cannot protect a door at night.”

“Then I will starve on my own terms. I will guard my own door. I kept a pack fed during harsh winters and kept a house safe when wounded men returned. If I must walk away, I will still stand.”

He took a step closer, the golden light highlighting the faint gray in his hair. “You love him still,” he said, and it was not a question.

“I loved what I thought he was. I loved a promise. But that promise is now broken.”

The king’s expression hardened. “Lucien is my blood ally. He is an Alpha. This decision will make enemies. People will talk.”

I held his stare. “Then let them talk. I am done being quiet.”

“Are you sure this is what you want, Ravena?”